manzanillo sun e-magazine april 2015 edtion

www.manzanillosun.com

Dear Editor I am writing to tell you how much I enjoy reading your magazine each month. I look forward to each new edition. I have traveled through Mexico and intend to continue to do that. With this travel I have formed some opinions about the people have met. I also like to jot down my impressions and would like to submit an article for your Manzanillo Sun E-Magazine. How do I go about doing this, and what are your parameters? Sincerely, G.A. Dear G.A. Thank you for expressing interest in the ManzanilloSun. Submission is easy, and we are willing to help you with editing or even ghost writing for you, when you just have ideas and can’t start them. All writing should be based on 325-350 words per page, with photos whenever possible. We like to hold everybody to a maximum two pages. For larger essays, you’ll need to check with the editors. The articles should be single spaced. Please do not format your submissions with headers, footnotes or special headings such as a drop cap or anything like that. We do allow references to outside information at the end of your article. All entries should be emailed to me at the Manzanillo Sun: [email protected]. Part of my job is to make sure it gets to the editors and they get a chance to go over it with you. We would appreciate as much advance notice as possible as it tends to get busy around the first of each month, which is when we like to publish. We look forward to your inputs. Please remember that we are a family magazine and your articles should attempt to address some aspect of the Mexican culture as we find it in Manzanillo and the surrounding area. However, if your story doesn’t include Manzanillo it should be about the people of Mexico. Ian, Publisher.

mailto:[email protected]


Picotee Sky Flower,

Duranta erecta ‘Sapphire Showers’ (Called Duranta repens by a few) Family: Verbenaceae Also known as: Pigeonberry, Golden Dew-drop, and Skyflower

(One of my readers in the Puerto Vallarta area, Chef Mavi Lugo De Graf, forwarded the accompanying pictures and ask if I knew what it was. I dug through my books, consulted Dr. Mark Earl Olson Zunica of UNAM and believe we have an answer.)

This – originally – West Indian, evergreen, drooping branch, vine is definitely, an attention getter! Its flora are large, beautiful racemes (clusters) of butterfly-attracting, trumpet-shaped, white-tipped, and intensely, bluish-violet-lavender-purple. (One wonders if I can find any more hyphenated words to describe it?)

These bunches of flowers are ¾ inch (two cm) with each blossom having flared petal tips with a white picotee edge. (“Picotee” is a flower whose edge is a different color than that of its base coloration. The word originates from that in French, “picoté”, which means “marked with points”.) Going further in the etymology of its name, the genus Duranta is named after the 15th-century Italian botanist Castore Durantes and, of course, erecta is Latin for "upright."

Fast–growing (No, I get no bonus for the number of hyphens I use!), it likes full sun and deep watering, planted in well-draining soil. But we note at the outset that both the ornamental, orangish-yellow fruit (from which it derives its other name of Golden Dew-Drop) -

called a “globose drupe” by the botanical community - as well as the foliage include the chemical compound saponin. (Though another usually reliable source says it is hydrocyanic acid which in small does can treat for intestinal worms). But, be apprised, that both are potentially poisonous. So proceed with it accordingly should you have children around or pets that gnaw on that which they should not.

Growing to 25 feet (just over seven and a half meters), and, sometimes, nearly as wide, it’s more tree than bush and, in these climes, should flower nearly year around. Butterflies, hummingbirds and bees love the blooms which have a slight “candy-like” fragrance while birds, in general, like its fruit which, obviously, follow the flowers. This plant makes a great “blocker” or screen if you wish others to not see in or desire to not see the neighbor’s junky yard! Beyond that, one of my references said that this is “A good choice for espaliers”. OK, I agree. . . . once I looked it up to make sure I knew its meaning! Indeed, this bushy vine would prefer a trellis or frame of some

Tommy Clarkson

Growing to 25 feet and, sometimes, nearly as wide, it's more tree than bush and, in these climes, should flower nearly year around.


sort to being left free standing. And yes, frequent pruning is not a bad idea but some of the Verbenaceae family have sharp-edged spines, so watch out! With its potential growth habits – beyond basic upright - of arching, cascading, sprawling and weeping, it’s a pretty flexible plant. Accordingly, it can be used in a variety of modalities: as previously described, as an accent plant, containerized, a focal point specimen, incorporated as a hedge, employed in a landscape bed, worked into an outdoor living area backdrop, as a shrub border, in topiary as a tree form shrub and I’ve heard – though not seen – as bonsai. It’s the plant that does it all! When planting and maintaining, keep in mind that it can be spread by suckers if the branches reach down to the ground. Otherwise, it can be propagated by seeds or cuttings.

Super-abbreviated, this is how to plant this beauty: Place your new Picotee Sky Flower plant, purchased from your favorite vevero (hopefully they will have – or can get – it), in rich, well-draining soil and compacting it enough to ensure no air pockets remain below; apply two to four inches of mulch but keep four inches from the trunk to prevent to potential of mold or rot; allow top two or three inches of soil to dry before watering; then water in the cool of the morning taking care to not splash the leaves or allow the soil to become drenched; every three months give it some extra nutrients with 10-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of one tablespoon for every square foot of soil beneath your plant’s canopy, then rake it into the top three inches of soil, watering well to activate the fertilizer; and then prune as desired to maintain desired shape.

It is my understanding that there are forms with variegated and golden leaves that are grown primarily for their foliage – but I have not yet come across them. But this variety is certainly a delight! For back issues of "Roots", gardening tips, tropical plant book reviews and videos of numerous, highly unique eco/ adventure/ nature tours, as well as memorable "Ultimate Experiences" such a Tropical Garden Brunches. Visit us at.. www.olabrisagardens.com

The ornamental, orangish-yellow fruit as well as

the foliage include the chemical compound saponin.

Its flora are large, beautiful clusters of

butterfly-attracting, trumpet-shaped, white-tipped, and intensely, bluish-violet-lavender-purple.

http://www.olabrisagardens.com/


Beaked Yucca (Yucca Rostrata)

Family: Asparagaceae Also known as: Silver Yucca, Big Bend Yucca, Blue-Beaked Yucca, Old Man Yucca and Adam’s Needle

Around here, as a result of my (now nearing) nearly 100 different species of palm trees), some folks call me “The Palm Guy”. But to that somewhat fun “handle” I feel I must assert that these comprise only about 1/8th of the total diversity of sub-tropical and tropical plants that thrive here in Ola Brisa Gardens. The Beaked Yucca, for instance, is one of my personal favorites and they comfortably co-exists between an African Oil Palm and Old Man Palm in a row comprised of five different varieties of cycads! Of the approximately forty different species of Yucca, this is one of the most beautiful. Its uniquely attractive trunks are covered with short orange-brown shag from the old, dead leaves. Native to Northern Mexico, as well as Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in the U.S., this interesting evergreen derives its name from its beak shaped seeds. It is one of the hardiest species of the trunked yuccas. When larger it is deer-resistant, hummingbird-friendly and should be able to handle temperatures all the way down to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 C.)! When younger, this makes a great container plant but as it matures it develops that interesting trunk. One which, by the way, will allow the Beaked Yucca to attain an ultimate height of around twelve to fifteen feet (3.6 - 4.5 meters). . . taking decades as this is a slow grower.

As to where it likes to ensconce its roots, well, your basic, average, gritty, well-draining variety of suelo will do. Sol? Yep, full to partial. Agua? Yes, but only once every month or so. Keep in mind its love for rocky soils that you are sure will not flood during heavy rains. The Yucca Rostrata is most intolerant of waterlogged soils. Flowering in the spring, summer and early autumn, its large clusters of white flowers are bell shaped at the ends of yellow-orange colored stalks and glorious to behold! That flora stands atop two foot, long, waxy, fairly supple and a bit arching - yet appearing stiff-like - leaves which are pale bluish green to light gray, linear and grow to around 18 inches (45.7 cm). Its leaf margins are a yellowish-white with strands of fiber that appear to be peeling as they form a dense rosette atop the stems.

Tommy Clarkson

Of the approximately forty different species

of Yucca, this is one of the most beautiful.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asparagaceae


Its old leaves, if left alone, can form a “beard” or skirt similar to that of some palm trees which, if properly trimmed and maintained, create a very attractive, manicured effect.

I’ve read – but cannot confirm - that this may have been one of several plants cultivated by pre-Columbian tribes of Mexico and Central America as these cultures were significantly advanced in use of fiber technology. Pursuing this further, supposedly, Cortez discarded his metal armor in favor of Aztec textile armor as it was more effective against the Aztec obsidian spear and arrow points which would shatter and the shards would work their way through the armor.

When planting, do so in a wide, shallow hole which is a bit wider than the spread of its root system. After filling the hole with well-draining soil – avoiding air pockets - place a three inch (7.6 cm) layer of organic mulch around the planting area. But ensure to keep the mulch at least a foot from the base of the plant in order to prevent root rot. Finally, initially water your new “baby” heavily so as to ensure its deepest roots get a good, solid drink.

Yet another bonus to this plant is that, as noted by Robert Lee Riffle, the Beaked Yucca “is perfectly at home near the shore and a valuable addition to the repertory of plants that are somewhat tolerant of salty air and saline soil.”

To again quote “he whose work I so greatly admire”, Riffle has written of the importance of acquiring plants such as these only through bona fide, licensed nurseries. He correctly asserts that, “Digging (endangered) plants out of the wild not only is unconscionable in an environmental sense, but the plants usually always die within a few months because of root damage.”

As to pests and diseases – keep an eye out for Root Rot, grubs or Desert Beetles at their larval stage which feeds on the roots. I’d suggest, as a soil treatment, the application of Diazinon granules. Final word of warning – gophers love the taste of its roots!

For back issues of "Roots", gardening tips, tropical plant book

reviews and videos of numerous, highly unique eco/

adventure/ nature tours, as well as memorable "Ultimate

Experiences" such a Tropical Garden Brunches. Visit us at..

www.olabrisagardens.com

Its uniquely attractive trunks are covered with

short orange-brown shag from the old, dead leaves.

Its old leaves, if left alone, can form a “beard”

or skirt similar to that of some palm trees

http://www.olabrisagardens.com/


The Other Side of Mexican Cooking by Sunny Days

The history of Salsa sauce originated with the Inca people. Salsa (a combination of chilies, tomatoes and other spices) can be traced to the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas. The Spaniards first encountered tomatoes after their conquest of Mexico in 1519-1521, which marked the beginning of the history of Salsa sauce. Aztec lords combined tomatoes with chili peppers, ground squash seeds and consumed them mainly as a condiment served on turkey, venison, lobster, and fish. This combination was subsequently called ‘Salsa‘by Alonso de Molina in 1571. Charles E. Erath of New Orleans was the first person in salsa sauce history who began manufacturing Extract of Louisiana Pepper and Red Hot Creole Pepper sauce in 1916. A year later, La Victoria Foods started Salsa Brava in Los Angeles. In Louisiana in 1923, Baumer Foods began manufacturing Crystal Hot Sauce and in 1928 Bruce Foods started making Original Louisiana Hot Sauce – two salsa sauce brands that are still in existence. In 1941, Henry Tanklage formed La Victoria Sales Company to market a new La Victoria salsa line. He introduced red and green taco and enchilada sauces – the first of salsa hot sauces in US. He took over the entire La Victoria operation in 1946, which manufactures ten different hot sauces now covering the entire salsa spectrum, including Green Chili Salsa and Red Salsa Jalapa. According to the hot sauce history, salsa manufacturing in Texas began in 1947 with David and Margaret Pace and their picante sauce. In 1952, La Victoria Foods introduced the first commercial taco sauce in US and in 1955, La Preferida launched a line of salsas.

Then in 1975, Patti Swidler of Arizona launched Desert Rose Salsa. Four years later, in Austin (Texas), Dan Jardine began producing Jardine’s Commercial Salsa, giving Austin the reputation in the history of Salsa Sauce as the hot sauce capital of America. Another Texas company, the El Paso Chili Company, was started in 1980 by Norma and W. Park Kerr. In 1986, Miguel’s Stowe Away in Vermont launched a salsa line and in

April, 1986, Sauces & Salsas Ltd. began manufacturing the Montezuma brand of hot pepper sauces and salsas in Ohio. Between 1985 and 1990, Mexican sauce sales grew seventy-nine percent. Between 1988 and 1992, the percentage of American households buying salsa increased from 16 to 36. By 1992, the top eight salsa manufacturers in the history of salsa sauce were Pace, Old El Paso, Frito-Lay, Chi-Chi’s, La Victoria, Ortega, Herdez, and Newman’s Own. By 1993, competition from smaller salsa companies was so fierce that Pace, Old El Paso, and six other brands saw Texas sales decline three percent. The big news in 1994 was the buyout of two of the largest companies in the fiery foods Industry. Numero uno salsa manufacturer Pace Foods, was sold to Campbell Soup Company for an astronomical 1.1 billion USD.


Beach Evolution and ‘Swell’ By Suzanne A. Marshall

It’s been the subject of many conversations over the winters here in Manzanillo: “Did you see that surf today?” “It seems the beach has suddenly gone from smooth mounds of deep sand, to cliff like structures!” “It’s been clear and sunny for days; why are these enormous waves pounding the beach?” And they certainly do pound the beach! So much so, that I find it to be like mesmerizing theatre. Sitting on the terrace and watching the rising surf topple over in a foaming rage and smack the beach with such a force and a roar you cannot hold conversation in those moments. The ones we wait for and relish are what we call the ‘doubles.’ When one wave is pouring back out and the next incoming wave collides with it sending water and mist crashing high into the air. We can literally feel the mist in the wind. Often the force of the surf can be felt underfoot in our condo as it reverberates through the ground and our 12” thick brick and concrete walls and floors. Completely awesome! It was a conversation with my young local ‘dentista’ who also happens to be a ‘surfer girl’ that got me searching for answers. Since I had surmised that the correlation with the tides had little bearing with the roaring surf which was relentlessly active for days and nights, my curiosity was truly piqued. The information I gleaned is complex and very scientific. So I’m providing a very simplistic overview on this subject.

Basically, the term for the waves pounding our beaches (and those around the world) is ‘ocean Swell.’ By definition Swell is a series of mechanical waves that propagate from the interface between water and air, often called ‘Surface gravity.’ Here’s the catch. Surface gravity waves are not generated by the immediate local wind, rather by distant weather systems, where wind blows for a period of time over a ‘fetch’ of water. Swell waves often have a long wavelength and their size depends upon the strength, duration and size of the body of water.

The phases of an ocean surface wave: 1. Wave Crest, where the water masses of the surface layer are moving horizontally in the same direction as the propagating wave front. 2. Falling wave. 3. Trough, where the water masses of the surface layer are moving horizontally in the opposite direction of the wave front direction. 4. Rising wave

The great majority of large breakers such as on the beach in Manzanillo result from distant weather systems over a fetch of ocean. So the swell that we have been so captivated by could have begun formation days earlier. Factors impacting the size of Swell are much too complex for this article but suffice it to say briefly that they are;


wind speed, area size of open water, wind duration, and depth of water. All of these factors form a swell and are an actual transfer of energy from pressure.

Storms that are thousands of nautical miles away can propagate the longest swells which are ultimately dissipated when they hit the shorelines. On a global perspective, these waves can vary in distance from 20,000km (half the distance round the globe) to 2000km.

Another interesting thing I came upon during my searches was the fact that the waves on the West Coast, U.S.A. (and I am assuming Mexico) are larger than the waves on the East Coast. This would likely account for the many popular surfing coastlines from California well on down to southern Mexico. The reason for this is the differing continental shelves. The West Coast has a narrow and steep continental shelf with inward prevailing winds. The East Coast has a much broader gradual shelf with outward prevailing winds (Diagram 1.). As well, the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast has a greater expanse than the Atlantic. This means that the ‘fetch’ (the distance over which the wind blows) is greater on the West Coast. To use a familiar term for North Americans/Canadians, the waves grow from the ‘snowball’ effect. The farther you roll a snowball the bigger it gets.

One of the other surprises for me was finding out that the larger Swell season does not occur during the winter months. In fact it occurs mostly between July and September on average. That being the case, if I thought the dramatic surfs in Manzanillo during the winter (we are here from November to April) are pretty awesome, I can’t imagine what the sea sends in during the summer season. Wow! Sources:http://wikipedia.org http://sciencehowstuffworks.com

Near Cuyutlan, just south of Manzanillo

Salahua Beach, Manzanillo, before and after swells

BEFORE AFTER

http://wikipedia.org/

http://sciencehowstuffworks.com/


Abril Kirby Vickery

The month of April finds us looking forward to the springing of spring in most geographic areas. For example in Arizona they have already had their ‘springing’ and would like the seasonal changes to stop right where they are. Their next step into spring will be summer for the rest of the country and for them, well, they’re looking at air conditioner running all night long just to catch up to the comfort levels which got lost at 10AM yesterday.

In Mexico April marks the month that friendly foreign Yankee invaders start thinking about leaving the land of warmth to get to colder climates before the heat in Mexico turns nasty.

In the more Northern Latitudes the rites of spring are being unveiled from their storage bins of fall and winter. Somebody gets into the storage shed or nearby barn to re-locate last year’s Maypole and unravel the woven ribbons that wasn’t done last year because of the rain. Memories of last month’s Waffle Day are starting to fade from the collective Canadian mind as plans for Victoria Day are put into the more active places in the frontal cortex of the brain. These people need a little more heat in their sky’s to contemplate Canada Day. I sometimes wonder why Queen Elizabeth II birthday (April 12th) is honored at the “Trooping of the Colour” in mid June.

Americans being Americans have April covered of course: All Fool’s Day, Daylight Savings Time, Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday, Easter, Easter Monday, Earth Day, Administrative Professionals Day, Arbor Day, Cancer Control Month and Alcohol Awareness Month are all celebrated to some extent. One would wonder but that’s just how that group is.

Labrador and Newfoundland’s big holiday, which is the day they became part of the Canadian Confederation, comes on the 31st of March but it’s so cold up there that they preserve the celebration until April or May when people can actually go outside.

On a happier note, here are some things which have happened in April: Alfonso V succeeded his father as king of Aragon in 1416 and I bet you really appreciate knowing that one now too. In 1930 the first Bermuda

airplane flight lands in Bermuda. That just goes to show you that those folks on the East coast were doing it backwards even way back then. I’d figure that with the weather starting to warm up they’d want to fly the airplanes the other way and not be bringing folks to the island. In 1918 the Royal Flying Corps was replaced by the Royal Air Force. In 1826 Samuel Morey patented the internal combustion engine. For all of you former American Navy guys; the rank of Chief Petty Officer was created in 1893. Apple Computer was formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976.

Foolishness is the mark of the April Fool Day passing. France got into it with their making the first of January the first of the year in 1564 by decree of Charles IX. There was a lot of gift giving in that country during those times on the first of the year. The old first of the year was the first of April. When Charles moved the date, the gift giving and partying stayed on the first of April.


In Scotland the custom was known as “hunting the gowk,” i.e. the cuckoo, and the April-fools were “April-gowks.” The cuckoo meaning there, as it is in many countries, a term of contempt. I keep trying to connect that to the phrase, “Crazy as a loon.” But, I haven’t had much success yet. Again in France the person fooled in known as poisson d’avril. This has been explained from the association of ideas arising from the fact that in April the sun quits the zodiacal sign of the fish. A far more natural explanation would seem to be that the April fish would be a young fish and therefore easily caught.

The French traditionally celebrated this holiday by placing a dead fish on the back of friends. Today the fish is substituted by a paper cut-out. In 1957 the respected BBC news show Panorama announced their thanks to a very mild winter and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil took place which allowed Swiss farmers to enjoy a bumper spaghetti crop. It accompanied this announcement with footage of Swiss peasants pulling strands of spaghetti down from ‘Spaghetti’ trees. Huge numbers of viewers were taken in, and many called up wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti trees. To this question, the BBC diplomatically replied that they should “place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.” In 2005, Estonia’s TV 3 broadcasted a news story where the station claimed that thanks to a new technology, they know exactly how many were viewing them at the moment. They also asked viewers to put a coin against the TV screen if they liked the running broadcast.

On a personal note, I built a buzzer from a block of wood, some nails, and a broken piece of band saw as a child once. When I tried is out I found that it sounded just like the buzzer in my parent’s newly installed built-in wall oven. My bedroom was over the kitchen and with very little work I was able to pull up some of the floor boards and drop this buzzer down in the wall behind that oven. It was on the first of April that I attached it to my old electric train transformer. It was also about two in the morning. I could see what was going on beneath me through a grating in the floor so I could turn it on or off depending on what my sleepy father was doing to shut off the oven’s timer alarm. Next morning he had that oven spread all over the

kitchen and the dining room. Needless to say he wasn’t a very happy camper and I believe to the best of my knowledge that buzzer is still hanging between those walls right where I had tied it off that very night.

Regardless of whether you’ve been the victim or a planner/executer of an April prank, it is that one month of the year that marks the coming of spring and the even warmer days of summer in all latitudes of the northern climate. Outside is the place to be while experiencing nature’s refurbishment of her domain. So stop reading all this glop and get yourself out there wherever you are and take in the marvels of this wonderful month.


AT THE MOVIES by Suzanne A. Marshall

The Theory of Everything Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones Director: James Marsh

This is a remarkable story about the relationship between Stephen Hawking, his wife Jane and to some degree his family and friends. Mostly, it’s a romantic ‘take’ of their real life behind the scenes and one can only admire the tenacity of Jane through many long years of struggle. The story emphasizes how much more there was and still is to the survival and accomplishments of the famous physicist who battles a debilitating disease called Motor Neuron Disease (ALS). The movie has an appealing reality to it in that the cinematography is soft and luscious, reminiscent of the type of film used in the sixties and seventies as opposed to the sharper digital techniques of today.

The art direction completely captures the early years of this story in England through costuming, locations and sets. The roles played by Redmayne and Jones are superb and they justly deserve the awards and nominations garnered for the movie. Eddie Redmayne won for Best Actor at the 2015 Academy Awards and Felicity Jones was nominated for her role as well. The movie was nominated for a total of five Academy Awards and too many other organizations to list. IMDB rated this movie as 7.8/10 based on 135,000 viewers thus far.

Blvd Miguel de la Madrid 10050 Salahua

(across from La Comercial)

314-334-7698

El Centro

314-332-7977


The Imitation Game Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightly, Matthew Goode Director: Morten Tyldum Benedict Cumberbatch brilliantly portrays the complex and fascinating life of mathematician Alan Turing. The persona of the genius Alan Turing is awkward, arrogant, anti-social, sad and compulsive as played by Cumberbatch. He definitely deserves the accolades and nomination for best actor by the Academy Awards. The story line is complicated and unearths the true and gritty circumstances behind the challenge of breaking the Nazi communication code called ‘enigma’ during World War II. The story unfolds in England shortly after the outbreak of the war and dips back into Turings’ college days as well as subsequent years following the war. The cast give the actor excellent support and the cinematography and art direction are very convincing. To say more would be to give away the plot. This is a terrific movie. IMDB rated this movie as 8.1/10 based on 207,000 viewers to date.


Aztec Mythology Kirby Vickery

I believe that Aztec mythology would be easier understood by modern people if we could get our minds wrapped around the concept that sacrifice and bloodletting were paramount in Aztec culture and that those killed for religious reasons were not looked upon as victims of anything but during their transition from life to death they actually become messengers to the gods. In its simplest terms, sacrifices were actually a pay-back to the gods for what they (the gods) did for the people. In some instances these soon to be messengers were selected from warriors captured from other tribes and they went to their gods without choice. In other instances the people would vie for a shot at having their hearts torn out while still beating and held high over the priests head to a cheering crowd. The Aztecs likened their lives to that of the corn plant which lasts one year picked of its fruit or not. Thinking about it they likened men’s lives to that of the corn and figured that men were born to die. In their games of hoop ball it was the winners who were taken up the side of the pyramid not the losers. The losers hung around to try another day or they might just be put to death to satisfy a need in some other corner of hell. Let me put it to you in another way. In our world if a priest, minister or pastor who has dedicated his life to God and is subsequently a little closer to his God yelled out, “DUCK!” We would all hit the dirt with a feeling of relief that we had missed what was coming our way. An Aztec priest yelling the same thing would get the same reaction except the duckers would be scouring in the ground looking real hard to see what they figured they missed the first time over that piece of ground that the gods had left for him.

The other concept modern people can’t seem to get their mitts around is that the major Aztec gods had a duality. This concept isn’t even close to the Holy trinity held by believers of the New Testament. The Aztec duality of their gods was a total thing complete to having different sexes.

The Aztecs believe it took the gods five tries until they could have a world with mankind’s life on it. Usually their mythology reads off in context similarly to that of most other cultural mythologies. What I mean is that

the creation of something in our world was generated because a god mixed it up with another god or human and after great devastation. It occurred to me that most gods in most mythologies had extreme emotional problems manifested by the fact that they never could reign them in during their angry fits and - men died or worlds or animals. Let me tell you the story:

Ometecuhtli and Omecuhuatl were the first Lord and Lady of Duality. They had four sons. One of them named Black Tezcatlipoca got ambitious and turned himself into the sun which provided light and heat to all the acorn, berry, and root eating giants that lived at the time. Tezcatlipoca had a rival named Quetzalcoatl who went into a rage over the fact that Tezcatlipoca was the ruler of the universe and. Quetzalcoatl knocked Tezcatlipoca right out of the hot spot. When Tezcatlipoca woke up he got so mad that her turned himself into a jaguar and proceeded to destroy the earth.

With Tezcatlipoca tearing up the earth Quetzalcoatl took over the heavens as the new sun god. He bided his time and when Tezcatlipoca finished he rebuilt the earth and created a people on it that loved pine nuts. No sooner did he finish when Tezcatlipoca conjured up a great wind and destroyed the earth again. There were a few people left and they were changed to be monkeys.


All these goings on brought about a great deal of attention from the other gods. The god of rain, Tlaloc decided to take a shot at it and was the next (3rd) god to create the earth. Quetzalcoatl was still on a rampage and flooded the earth this time. He killed almost all the people. Those that didn’t get drowned became birds.

The water goddess Chalehiuhtlicue decided it was her turn to be the sun and to take over the responsibilities and thus became the heroine behind the fourth attempt of earth’s creation. Her first job was to dry the earth out after all that rain from the third attempt. However, she moved too slowly and almost all the people were drowned. Those that survived, however, were turned into fish.

All of this fighting back and forth got the attention of all the rest of the gods. They decided that having an earth and people in it was a good idea but they needed a sacrifice to be the sun.

So they held a big meeting and some poor little minor god got talked into it. Being a minor god when he converted to being the sun they all found out that he wasn’t strong enough to move himself across the sky so the sun just hung there. The rest of the gods decided that they needed to sacrifice themselves to great day and night by getting the sun moving. Apparently reformed by all this sacrificing Quetzalcoatl took on the task of creating mankind. He went into the underworld to gather the bones of past generations of people. While he was collecting these bones he was caught by the god of the underworld. As with all underworld gods this one didn’t like intruders either and started to chase Quetzalcoatl who took off like a Mexican hare. Somewhere along the trail up he slipped and fell on the bag containing all the bones crushing them and cutting himself at the same time. His blood apparently fertilized those bone fragments which all grew into men. This explains why there are men of different size and shapes. It was because the bone fragments were also of different sizes and shapes.


Tacos Don Julio Allan Yanitski

We spend our winter months in Manzanillo, Mexico. So a good neighbourhood restaurant is mandatory. The first few years we walked by this restaurant that featured a huge grill open to the street near the Soriana Mall in Salagua. The faces inside were all locals, and the restaurant was usually always full. One day, we decided to risk what we thought was street vendor food (Code for Canadian and USA paranoia). We were the only non-locals there. The menus (two large posters) were hanging on opposing walls. Using our broken Spanglish to try figure out what the different tacos were made of, we decided on the large arrachera Especial tacos. After we placed our order, the table was promptly filled with an assortment of homemade (as in made at the restaurant) condiments including such items as frijoles, fresh chopped sweet onions and cilantro, huge sliced radish, banana peppers, limes, and a couple bowls of salsas. The meal also included a dish they called Sexy Nopales (sliced nopales cactus mixed with thinly sliced strips of tomato, red pepper, and sweet onion strips) along with crispy tostadas.

The tacos arrived a few minutes later, and we were pleased to see a 7" diameter tortilla filled with cheese and arrachera (skirt steak strips that had been marinated then grilled). We filled the taco with different condiments and we were hooked.

On our way out of the restaurant we watched the ladies as they handmade the tortillas in a wooden press and placed them on the grill as the orders came in. The tacos sold for 55 pesos each and were a meal.

Fast forward five years and the first place we go to for a meal after we drop our suitcases in the condo is over to Don Julio's. The large tacos now sell for 70 pesos, but this is a bargain for all fresh ingredients. The restaurant has expanded to include a lower floor and they are in the process of adding a second floor. During the day (until 6 pm) they offer seafood dishes from the attached Tacos El Pargo restaurant. I recommend the Taco de Cameron Especial (the same as the arrachera taco but with shrimp instead of beef). If you are able to eat prior to 6 pm order 1 mini especial arrachera taco, and 1 mini especial shrimp taco. It will set you back 72 pesos, but the shrimp taco comes with another assortment of condiments including, spicy pickled cucumbers, Mexicana salsa ( fresh and mild ), coleslaw, spicy creamed guacamole, and a shrimp broth with a few shrimp at the bottom of the cup.

https://es.foursquare.com/v/tacos-don-julio/4bef08012ff520a1df03e8a2


In all the years my wife and I have dined here, we have not experienced any stomach problems. Now I know that should not be an issue worth mentioning in a restaurant review but when you first enter the restaurant, you may have reservations about entering. Continue on in, you won't be disappointed.

Speaking of reservations, they are not required.

My wife maintains that this is her favourite meal in Manzanillo. It may be the fresh ingredients, or it could be because the food tastes great. On hot days, I recommend sitting in the lower level, as it is cooler there. To summarize, a lot of expats and snowbirds now eat here. It is not like our first time there, when we were the only non-local patrons; they have now printed menus in English. The cost for a meal is going to be around $6.00 to $7.00 a person not including beverages or tip. If you choose some of the seafood dishes expect to pay $10.00 to $12.00 a person. If you like ceviche, they offer different types for take-out (the take-out includes different types of tostadas, limes, sauces, and avocado).

Seafood and ceviche is served until 6 p.m. daily.


Social and Techie Tips & Tricks for a Manzanillian Señior Tech

Every now and then we realize that we don’t know it all. We have to keep learning! The first tip is credited to my wife Señiora Notsotechie. There are additional letters required in Mexico when you are typing a letter. If you have an Apple computer, phone, or tablet; by holding your finger on a letter on the keyboard, a selection menu will appear onscreen above the letter. For example, to get a ñ, hold down the n key on the keyboard for a couple of seconds, and then select the ñ symbol. Holding the “a” key will display the following characters ( à á â ä æ ã å ā ).

On a Windows computer to get the ñ character you need to type 0148 then immediately after simultaneously depress the “Alt” and “x” keys on the keyboard. If you are using Microsoft Word, from the Insert Menu select Symbol and find the character. I have not found an easy way to find and select special characters in Windows.

I did not try this trick on an Android device, so if you are using an Android phone or tablet, hold your finger on the letter “n” and see if this feature works.

The next tip deals with what I like to call “PICS” (Personal Information Cards for Seniors). During our working careers, these were known as calling or business cards. Whenever you meet someone interesting, you can quickly provide him or her with your email and local telephone number(s). Rather than scribbling the information on a paper napkin or whatever piece of paper is available, hand them a card that demonstrates your personality.

This year before we left Canada for Manzanillo, I had 500 cards printed in full color using my photos. The cost for printing, shipping and taxes was $31.00. The order is completed online and there are numerous templates available to select. Designing a card is a simple step-by-step process and a preview shows what the finished product will look like. I was delighted to be able to use my own photos. When I was a Sales Representative for a printing company years ago (more years than I care to remember), full color business cards would cost hundreds of dollars to setup and print.

The company I used is Vista Print vistaprint.ca in Canada, vistaprint.com in the USA. Allow 5-10 business days from the order date. In my case the time was one week after the order was placed. So go ahead find your best photos, design your card and the next time you meet someone new, you can simply hand them your “PICS”.

Front of Card

Backside of Card

E-MAGAZINE

a div. of Manzanillo Sun SA de CV


Publisher: Ian T. Rumford Editors: Freda A. Vickery

Kirby L. Vickery Contact: [email protected] [email protected] For advertising information in

magazine or web pages contact: Manzanillo- [email protected] [email protected] Lake Chapala- [email protected] [email protected] Writers and contributors:

Tommy Clarkson David Fitzpatrick Suzanne Marshall

Vivian Molick Terry Sovil Senior Tech Karen Trom

Freda Vickery Kirby Vickery Mark Wright

Comments, brickbats and bouquets on our featured articles are always

welcome.

Individual writers or authors may also be reached via the following:

[email protected] Submissions for possible inclusion in the magazine, please send to the editor by 20th of each month. We are always looking for writers or ideas on what you would like us to write about in the magazine. Preferred subjects are concerning 1.) Manzanillo or 2.) Mexico. All articles should be 1000 words Or less or may be serialized. 500- 750 words if accompanied by photos. Pictures appropriate for the article are welcome.

ADVERTISING

Website Listing on the website only: Name, address, telephone, email and web link

Annual: 200.00 MXN Level 1: (Includes web listing) Features: 2 Picture Button 150x250 sidebar advertising English & Spanish. 2 popup ads 600x800 popup on click (English &/Spanish) Placed on listing page or a pertinent page.

Annual: 2000.00 MXN Level 2: (Includes web listing) Features: Level 1 Features with an additional button for the Ads placed on the Initial/Front page. Annual: 3500.00 MXN

E-MAGAZINE ¼ Page:

Per Issue: 450.00 MXN ¼ Page: SPECIAL

special advertisement price (if Level 1 advertiser on web site) Per Issue: 100.00 MXN

½ Page:

(can be width/ length of A5 paper) Per Issue: 900.00 MXN

½ Page: SPECIAL

special advertisement price (if Level 1 advertiser on web site) Per Issue: 200.00 MXN

Full Page:

Per Issue: 1800.00 MXN Full Page: SPECIAL special advertisement price (if Level 1 advertiser on web site) Per Issue: 400.00 MXN

ADVERTISING Banner Level 1

1 Page: (Our Choice) Per Issue: 100.00 MXN

Level 2

Every 2nd page (average 10 banners), Requires the purchase of ¼ page ad and Kevel 1 advertising) Per Issue: 500.00 MXN Annual: 5000.00 MXN A note to our Advertisers: Most popular package is a One Year website and One year ¼ page ad for 3200.00 MXN. The regular price for the ¼ page ad alone is 5400.00 MXN. This give you a package savings Of 1800.00 MXN ADVERTISING

Sample Restaurant Web Ad

Sample Hotel Web Ad

Manzanillo Contact Jaime Lopez -Balbontin [email protected]

cell: 314-105-2395

Lake Chapala contact: Mr. Yann Kostic [email protected]

www.manzanillosun.com [email protected]

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manzanillo sun e-magazine april 2015 edtion

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